‘Bring Elder Home’: Alabama town prays for release of teenager caught in ICE ‘hell’
Agents ignored this young man's documentation and put his life on ICE.
Ryan Cooper 
Note: This is an opinion cartoon series examining Alabama-related ICE detentions.
The life of 18-year-old Elder Chavez-Carranza has been placed on hold by ICE agents who allegedly disregarded his legal documentation, sparking an urgent campaign to secure his freedom. For further details on his situation, read Patrick Darrington’s reporting for 205focus.com under the headline: Alabama community prays for 18-year-old ICE detainee: ‘He’s in hell’.
From the Classroom to Detention
Until a routine traffic stop last December, Chavez-Carranza was a typical high school junior in Albertville, Marshall County. Following the stop for driving 52 mph in a 45 mph zone, he was taken into ICE custody. Despite presenting evidence of his special immigrant juvenile status—granted last September under the Trump administration—Chavez-Carranza claims federal agents ignored his paperwork.
Carmen Bahena, his former English teacher, describes him as a sweet, hardworking student. Even during a recent video call from detention, she noted that his spirits remained high despite the harsh environment. "He was just laughing and smiling and the kid that I knew was there," Bahena told 205focus.com. "I was like ‘oh my god look at him, his spirits are up even though he’s in hell.’”
Background and Advocacy
Chavez-Carranza, who moved to the U.S. in 2022 to live with his sister, Mayuri Chavez, told 205focus.com that he faced abandonment by his parents in Honduras as an infant. The Department of Homeland Security maintains his detention is justified, citing his arrival at the southern border on February 2, 2022.
Advocates are working tirelessly to bring him home. Among those leading the effort are Carlos and Angela Della Valle, who have organized letter-writing campaigns and prayer vigils. This past Tuesday, approximately 45 people gathered at Mosaic Family in Gadsden to pray for his release.
Concerns at Winn Correctional Center
Chavez-Carranza has reported poor food quality and insufficient medical care at the Winn Correctional Center. His concerns align with a June report from the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General, which found the facility noncompliant with nine detention standards. Notably, two detainees have died at the facility since April.
As the movement to free him grows, a chair built by the teenager in his carpentry class at Asbury High has become a symbol of his absence. To stay informed on his story, read the full report here.
